On their farm in Marion Township, Herman Manbeck and his wife, Connie, work together to accomplish one goal - feed the world.

When they can, they divide the labor - Connie spends more time with their sows and Herman focuses on crops, especially his soybeans.

That work has paid off. The Pennsylvania Soybean Board recently named Herman the state's top soybean producer.

And though he had a yield of 97.06 bushels of soybeans per acre - only four other growers in the contest topped the 90-bushel-an-acre mark - Herman has kept his perspective.

"It's not like the Olympics or anything," he said. "You can get lucky. I'm not saying it's real easy or real hard."

But Jennifer Reed-Harry, executive director of the Pennsylvania Soybean Board, congratulated Manbeck on his hard work.

"You cannot find a more deserving farm family than the Manbecks," she said. "Their farming legacy is known throughout the area. Both Herman and his wife, Connie, have dedicated their lives to their farm, family and sharing the story of agriculture with others."

The couple have embraced opportunities to educate non-farmers about crops, animals and why there is no better lifestyle than the one on their farm, Reed-Harry said.

"It was truly an honor to award Herman with the top state award of winner of the Soybean Yield Contest," she said.

Every year since 1991, Manbeck has grown about 65 acres of soybeans. He credits his success to the soil.

Last year was dry, especially in June and July, but rainfall was enough to get by, Herman said.

When it comes to growing soybeans, it's important to pay attention to the chemistry soybeans require, he said.

"Watch your nutrients; pH, phosphorous and potash," Herman said.

Herman usually plants soybeans the last week of April or the first week of May, and harvests by the first two weeks of October, or as soon as the soybeans reach 13 percent moisture.

In addition to the recognition and a trophy, Herman also won a trip to the Commodity Classic, the annual joint convention of the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Grain Sorghum Producers in Tampa, Fla.

In Tampa, Herman and Connie attended seminars and picked up a few tips for the next growing season.

"We are always looking to change and better ourselves," he said.

Reed-Harry was thrilled the couple enjoyed the convention.

"It was great to hear about this valuable experience because they deserved it for their countless hours of working in fields, working with the pigs and giving of their time and personal experiences in an attempt to help others understand what is involved with giving the consumer the freedom of choice of a variety of food products," Reed-Harry said.